Ball-puzzle device



June 17, 1930.

W. R. MAXWELL BALL PUZZLE DEVICE Filed April 6, 1929 IN V EN TOR.

I WW/c/r rrEMaxvx M .a a ATTORNEY v Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED- STA-es,

3 @F'FICE A WILLIAM R. MAXWELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YQBK, ASSIGHOR T RII DAMAY EDGAR BALL-PUZZLE DEVICE This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in a ball puzzle.

The invention has for an object the provision of a device of the classmentioned which is of simple, durable construction, de-

pendable in use and eflicient in action, and

which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost. The inventionproposes a ball puzzle device in which the object is to place buckshotinto different openings in different portions of the device which isarranged to make such placement very difficult unless the system forproducing the placement is known and then such placement is very simple.

The invention proposes a block of rectangular shape in plan view andhaving a curved bottom so that it may rock or may be spun around on itsbottom, to have a hollow cut-out portion communicating with its top andthe cut-out portion being curved at the bottom, small end apertures inthe block communicate with the said hollow and located near the top ofthe block, and to have .a transverse pin capable of separating a pair ofbuckshot placed in the hollow and viewable thru a transparent coverattached on the block. The device may be modified to assume the shape ofa cross andthen be provided. with crossed pins and operate in the samefashion as the preferred form.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosureFig. 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed according to thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional W'ew taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4% is a transverse sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device con- ?9 structed according tomodified form.

line 6 6 of Fig. '5.

Fig- 6 i eet ehal' ew taken O the vFig- 7 i e elevet e el ew leek e h the ieh. ef he e rew 7-7 'e Fig h T$f. Il '1 11116 31 10 ih ieet e generally ablocl; of rectangular form plan I view and having a curvedbottom' 11:, sheieh des .2 and et eigh e ds 3-. A oller 1 Within the 11.99 h a irv d bottom 15,, traight see 6, and e hihuni eetee. ith h tee ohe leelh End ea hree. .7 Whhi. the hle h new he we there- Q ee hhi h eee w th th hQHeW l A transverse pin 18 engages within the block a ear thea he-m Q h ll w e A pa r elf hu k he 9 3 disposed with: in th 'hel e 1.and may e 'ehfih e i e stradd in t e Pil 18. A transp rent cover 20'preferably of celluloid engages tree. the her. of the 91 .911 and i helde flie peeitie b Pihe. 2.

Th bject f t e pu zle i he g n Of he hhe het 'iht h 9f t "aper u e fiendt qt e 'inte, the. oth r ape u e- Thi fie quite e fii hlt te eeeehhpliehllhleeel it 'ie. knew that the. ee hplet h eek u t e pun e th t arnageor r ws e hheheh eh waed and ihte he ei ee n dditi n t i ee s er to.know tha hheheh t hhe 'ih fe li h Ph ed eh eppeeit eide 9f he rahevexeepin .8 beielie a; .I ig f the 1 e that t y w be hrevhih, epneeihe directons eee e r the Q .P eite ape u .7- h .e t e '17 eheuhl he Sli h ly hele w ar e. 'se ee to hat el gh fi hi y er t i h' t balls. If attempts aremade to engag'e the hal s ihte he ap rtures m ely by n e t .1 8 the h ein di fere t elevated Pe hens and tappin e hty meri these l vatie e er:e .v us i w ll befol that he ehe h lleneag "1.1mm ef he p th ee' are hethe t h e he hgeee' iit e gthe? the firt will ell iit i h fi t he ure.

In the med fi el erm oi. the d vice illusheated .2 Free: 5 e 7 ih le ivo 1 1" he been. ehelwh Whieh e rle fe h ih Pleh. Y ew 'ehd has ehbetehell i i efit hi 'y eie e 'efi'efi'i arms are straight as indicated bynumerals 12 and the ends are also straight and indicated by numeral 13.A crossed hollow 14 is formed within the block and has a substantiallyspherical bottom 15- and straight sides 16 at those portions where thehollow engages in the arms of the block. An aperture 17 is formed ineach of the arms of the cross near the top of the block and communicateswith the hollow 14. A pair of crossed pins 18 are adjustably mounted inthe block which is formed with vertical slots 22 so that the cross pinsmay assume various elevated positions. Nuts 23 threadedly engage theends of the pins and are arranged for being screwed onto the pins forholding the pins in any elevated position. Four buckshots indicated byreference numeral 19' are. engaged within the hollow 14. A transparentcover 20 rests upon the'top of the block and is held in fixed positionby pins 21.

The principle of operation of this device is similar to the preferredform. It is nec essary to slightly shake the block until each of theballs assumes a position in one of the four corners formed by thecrossing pins. To provide such four corners it is necessary to move thepins into their lowered positions. The reason that the pins may beraised consists merely in throwing off the solver of the puzzle from thecorrect solution. 7 After he encounters difiiculty in causing the ballsto enter into the apertures he will scheme that the raising or loweringof the cross pins have some useful function for causing the balls toenter and this will mislead him. After the balls have assumed positionsin the corners as stated, the-block is spun around very rapidly and thepin offers resistance to centrifugal force except in one direction, sothat one of the balls en ters each of the arms of the hollow andfinallye enters each of the apertures 17 While I have shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction hereindis- 1 closed and the right is reserved to all changes and modificationscoming within the scope of the invention as defined 1n the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my invention,

7 what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

V In a puzzle device, a cross shaped block having a curved bottom, saidblock having a curved central depression, each extension of said blockhaving a curved upwardly inclined depression forming a continuation ofsaid central depression and a horizontal recess, a plurality of looseballs adapted to fit into the horizontal recesses of the blockextensions upon movement'of the block, transverse pins crosslng at thecenter of the cenl VILLIAM R. MAXIVELL.

